Thomas Nilsen

Russian navy ships exercised submarine hunt in Norwegian Sea

While the Norwegian navy is raising its wreaked frigate “KNM Helge Ingstad”, the Russian Northern Fleet frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” has been training submarine hunting west of mainland Norway.
March 03, 2019

Moscow confirms go-ahead for giant nuclear icebreaker

Russia’s need for year-round petroleum export along the Northern Sea Route is the main driver behind the futuristic icebreaker.
March 03, 2019

In Year of Indigenous Languages, Norway sends song with Sami joik to Eurovison Song Contest

KEiiNO, a Norwegian-Sami group mixing pop, electronica, dance and joik, was crowned as winner of the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix 2019.
March 03, 2019

President Niinistö to attend Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg

The President was hoping for hosting an Arctic Summit in Lapland this winter, but will instead travel to Putin’s high-level event near the end of Finland’s chairmanship period of the Arctic Council.
March 01, 2019

With aim for Arctic Dialogue, Norway sends top minister duo to Russia

Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide says both herself and Prime Minister Erna Solberg will participate at Russia’s Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg.
February 27, 2019

7,000 foreign soldiers ready for exercise in northern Sweden

Winter warfare capabilities are in focus when Northern Wind kicks off in Norrbotten in March.
February 26, 2019

Children of officers are ‘forced’ to join Youth Army, says leaked document

With additional 200 children getting their red berets this weekend, there are now more than 9,500 members of Yunarmiya in the towns of Russia’s Northern Fleet.
February 25, 2019

Moscow worried about Norway’s decision to dump mining waste into Arctic fjord

Norway’s go-ahead to controversial copper mine in Repparfjord on the Barents Sea coast causes pollution concerns for maritime environment important also for Russia.
February 19, 2019

Akula could be sailing for another 25-30 years

The size of Russia's submarine fleet sailing the Barents Sea would grow, as older vessels will not be taken out of service when new ones enter.
February 18, 2019

Wild reindeer on Kola endangered

Murmansk regional authorities want a permanent ban on hunting.
February 18, 2019

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Independent Barents Observer with its news desk located in Kirkenes, northern Norway. He has a long experience in media cooperation across the borders in the high north of Europe, both as radio- and newspaper reporter all the way back to the days before the breakup of the Soviet Union. 

Nilsen has been editor of Barents Observer since 2009.

He was Deputy Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat from 2004-2009. Until 2003, he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues, environmental and socio-economic development.

Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas